1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to improved solutions for killing weeds by employing herbicides in combination with buffered amine oxides and to methods employing such solutions.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The problem of weeds has long existed in many environments including, but not limited to agriculture, parks, golf courses, residential environments, highways, vegetable gardens, floral gardens, railroad tracks, recreational facilities, forests, pastures, waterways and in many other environments. Weeds can interfere with desired functionality, the health of adjacent plants, as well as the aesthetics of an area containing vegetation.
Weeds also can present numerous health problems for people and animals. Weeds can also have a role in affecting the quality of human life such as those afflicted with allergies, for example. Also, health problems can result from airborne pollen from plants, such as ragweed, or direct contact with plants such as poison ivy or poison oak or poison sumac, for example.
It has been known to employ various types of herbicides to kill weeds. Two very well-known herbicides are Glyphosates, which kills weeds and grass such as that sold under the trade designation Roundup, for example, and 2, 4 Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, also known as 2, 4-D. which kills weeds, but not grass, such as that sold under the trade designation Weed Warrior, for example. Systemic herbicides have also been known.
Ward, U.S. Pat. No. 7,896,960 discloses a method and solution for providing enhanced penetration of wood preservatives into wood to a greater depth through synergism between a buffering agent and an amine oxide. It contemplates the use of various types of wood preservatives on wood after it has been severed from a living tree. Green lumber is also said to be treatable by the system.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,811,731 is directed toward a fire-retardant wood-based composite created by treating a green wood furnish with a phosphate/borate fire-retardant material. The fire-retardant treated green wood furnish is blended with a binder and then bound by applying pressure to form a non-leaching fire retardant wood based composite.
European patent publication EP 2615921 discloses an amine and amine oxide surfactants for controlling sprayed herbicide so as to avoid undesired drift of the sprayed material. This is said to be accomplished by controlling the droplet size, as smaller droplets are said to have a higher propensity for off-target movement. Undesired drift is said to cause damage to plants in a manner not desired.
Walker, U.S. Pat. No. 6,572,788 discloses the use of amine oxides as wood preservatives. It states that the amine oxides inhibit microbial growth in wood. This patent relates to wood which has been severed from growing trees and discloses the use of wood preservatives which are said to inhibit destructive organisms such as fungi and sapstain, for example. This disclosure is not directed toward destroying living weeds but, rather, the focus is on preserving structural integrity of wood after the tree has been killed and resisting destruction of the resultant lumber as the prime objective.
Tseng, U.S. Pat. No. 6,508,869 discloses the use of amine oxides to enhance the performance of boron compounds as wood preservatives. There is mention of the amine oxides improving the effectiveness of boron compounds as insecticides or biocides and plant growth regulating agents. They are also said to provide better dispersion of boron compounds when applied to plants and fungi. It also makes reference to the seeds of plants and the area on which the plants or fungi grow. There is no disclosure directed toward killing of weeds or other plants.
There remains, therefore, a very real and substantial need for an improved system for more economically achieving the objectives of (a) destroying weeds or (b) destroying weeds and grass while resisting damage to or destruction of desired plants.